Chin strap buckle



Nov. 28, 1944. M KlESsLlNG 2,363,872

CHIN STRAP BUCKLE Filed March 13, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR MAX KIES SLING ATTORNEY Nov. 28,` 1944.

M. KIESSLING CHIN STRAP BUCKLE Filed March 13, 194' 2 sheets-sheet 2 lNvENToR MAX KIESSLING ATTORNEY ping the free end of 4the strap.

l Patented Nov. 28, 1944 f Ycmu STRAP BUCKLE ,p I

This invention relates lto buckles:arid` more `par-- ticularly to a" chinfstrappbuckle, for use on a military helmetwfor detachably and adjustably preferably `rectangular infplan'` view,` and? is pro`` vide'dwithapairofupstandingparallel-triangu lar` side flangesl I'Iiand I2;l which.y aref curved at locking thepifreeendof `the Ghini strapA to the b-uckle memberrto which the fixed ;end of'` the" chin straphas previously been riveted.

One object ofl theT present inventionli iswto providefan improved chinlstrap* buckleo'f theabo've nature fin whichlt-he-free end-of' the chinfstrap is releasably lockedI or clinched by'frictionfin an open slotof the buckle/member by' means of a swinging cam lever orcrossbar,

:Another object-'is to`- provide ai device-of=the I abovel natu-re whichf` Willbe-'siniplein cor'1struc'` tion, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install andg rr-ranipulate;` compact;ornamentalfin appearance and very eiieientand dur`ableAiniuse` With these andfother objectsinvvew;` there'has beenillustratedi onf the accompanying `drawings oneformin which the invention-niaiy'` convena iently be `embodied in practicem l V In the-drawings: l I l .Figure` 1# represents a longitudinalF sectional view of f the: improved buckle fas it" appears? when l installedeuponfawchin strap; .l l i Fgure2 is a top plan `view of theisamel'with parts broken away` to illustrate'vthe'intericrY construction. I

Figure" 3 is a-perspectiveview offthe frarneiof the chin strap `buckle,V shown sep'arately.

Figure 4 is a perspective view `offamodified forrnof camllever.; i

Figure 15 is 'a longitudinal"secticfmal viewisimila'i" `to Figure 1, ofi al modified forinofbuoklein" which the open `slot is depressed* to` provide1 a "smooth grip of greater Contact upon the freefend-of'fthe strapll 1 Figure 6 is a sectional View, similar to Figures 1 and 5', of another modified form of buckle in which the edges of the open slot are raised to provide upstanding teeth for more securely grip- `In the manufacture of chin straps for helmets it has been found that the leather of such straps usually varies in thickness considerably; `With. the present types of chin strap buckles, an excessively' thin strap was `likely `to slipA `in the buckle, whereas an excessively thick one would be out or scratehedby theqbuckle cam lever.

By means of the present invention the above and other disadvantages have` been avoided.

Referring now to the drawings in whichlike reference numeralsdenote corresponding parts throughout the several `viewsthe numeral I0 indicates the `frame ofthe buckle which `is made their rear upper` ends and providedrwitha pair tively. I The buckle frarri'e `Il) isfp'rovided'withl alfiat `basel I'3 having acirculariaperturefWinits foi'- ward portionfor receiving` a rivet` I5; which `when headed .over (gas shownf i'nNFigure-Ll `s erves to hold the fixed endfIS ofza chin strap ofzleather,

" rubber; fabriclor thelikefrigidlyin position upon the top of the base I3. .I ,i

lfniorder to holdfthevloosef` or freefendzll` of the' Vch-irrstrap 'in-r theu adjusted; releasa'ble'` position shownffin Figures 1* and 2;-` and-foverlyingflbase theA fixed endl Ilifof; saidchin; strap, .provision is` ma'deof an elongatedF `cross slot LI 8 locatedxin the tion ofthe'r pivotholes I-2a,-` l3nt. Provision is 4 alsoarnadeof ahinge cam lever or cross bar I9 comprisingJ an elongated; intermediate; straight section ZIJ` terminating at its forward endv in an upwardly-extending curved extremity 2li, -which Serves as a bangle if? permit.. theamlever t0 be readily raisedgirem. the lolckfed,` position shown in; fllll lili@ positi .QWH irl ,dotted .lines innsaid eureingaotion is ac eomplished by the `Opera't n orinserting one ngeruokf thejusers hand.

region The @enlever .9 is emailed ai its'rear eidwwithwadovvn ardly andlkforwardly curled V.re--

In the use of the buckle of the present invention, the fixed end I6 of the chin strap will first be riveted upon the bottom of the base I3 of the buckle body (as shown in Figure 1), The free l end I1 of said strapwill then be brought around under` the buckle frame and threadedforwardly,

through said framewhile holding the tongue in V the open position shown by dotted lines in said i figura To lock the strap in the desired adjusted position the cam lever I9 `will then be swung downwardly to the full `line position, causing the 1 bight or loop portion 26 on said straptobe er1-- gaged `and pushed downwardly by the resilient `i141 figur@ lfandswuneftothe released curled ear 22 of the cam lever` I 9 into the slot I8 formed in the base I3 at the rear of the buckle frame l0.

The bight 26 of the chin strap will thus be pressed against the sides of the slot I8 with a friction'al locking action, thus clinching the strap and preventingr it from slipping. It will be understood that by reason of the resiliency of the curled ear 22, the material of the strap, even if excessively thick will be prevented from becoming cut, scratched, or otherwise injured.

M odifed forms In the modified form ofl the` cam lever IQA shown in Figure 4, provisionris made of a resilent ear 21 of V-shape in cross section .whichA serves to strengthen said ear and increase the gripping effect upon the chin -strap engaged thereby. r

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 5, the open slot 18a of the buckle frame Illa is provided with depressed edges 28 and 29 whichserve to strengthen the bucklel and also provide -a smooth grip of greater contact upon the bight 26a. of the free end I'la of the chin strap engaged thereby.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure .6, raised edges 30 and 3l are formed on the slot' |812. This construction produces a pair of parallel upstanding teeth 32 and 33 which serve to grip the free end of the chin strap very securely when Ithe cam lever is in closed position.

While the present invention has been Aillustrated by means of a .buckle for holding chin straps, it will be understood that it is not limited to such use, but may also be employed on suspenders, garters, wrist bands, etc., within the general spirit and scope of the present invention.

While there has been disclosed in this specifi- .cation one form in which the invention may be embodied it is to be understood that this form` is shown for the` purpose of illustration only and that the inventionis not to be limited to a specific disclosure but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention what is 'claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

l. In a buckle, a substantially rectangular frame having a fiat base, a pair of apertured side flanges upstanding from said base, and a cam lever having a forwardly extending straight handle section and a downwardly, forwardly, and upwardly curled rear resilient section, said cam lever having a pair of lateral hinge pins located above the position of ysaid curled rear section for pivotally fitting in the apertures of said side flanges, said base having a rear cross slot located between said flanges, into which the freeend of a flexible chin strap may be adjustably and resiliently clinched by said curled section when said handleis swung down against said base, the upwardly curled resilient section of said lever entirely covering said slot and terminating at ,a-4 point spaced from the undersurface of said jvhandle section. Y n 2. In a buckle, a frame having a fiat base, a

pair of japertured side flanges upstanding from said base, and a cam lever having a handle sec- .tion` adapted to press upon the fixed end of a flexible strap secured to said base, said lever having a downwardly, forwardly, and upwardly curled resilient rear section, said cam lever having a pair of lateral hinge pins adjacent said curled rear section andl mounted to pivot Ain the apertures of said fianges, said base having a rear` cross slot located between said apertures o and cooperating with said' curled section to clinch the strap therebetween when said handle is swung down against said base, the upwardly curledresilient section of said lever entirely covering said slot and terminating at a point spaced from the undersurface of said handle section.

3. In a buckle, a frame having a at base, a pair of 'apertured side flanges upstanding from said base, and a cam lever having a forwardly extending vupper handle section, said lever having a downwardly, forwardly, and upwardly extending V-shaped resilient rear section, said cam lever also having a pair of lateral rear hinge pins locatedl above said resilient section and pivotally mounted in the apertures of said side flanges,

said base having a rear cross slot located be-` 5. The buckle as defined in claim 1, yin which the edges of said cross slot are raised to provide teeth for causing the resilient rear section of said cam lever to grip the free end'of said strap o more securely.

MAX KIESSLING. 

